SUKMA: The Deal With the Devil

Ease of Life

"Mom, Dedek is hungry!" call Sukma while stroking the stomach, like not caring for the crowd of prospective passengers who witnessed his strange behavior.

Bu Inah who had been stunned since looked at his daughter slammed a man, stunned and immediately approached Sukma while carrying a packet of bread. He gave Sukma a bag of bread and took the suitcase with money on the floor. Of course, the bald man was furious at Bu Inah's behavior.

"Heh, Mum. Don't take my suitcase!" sniff the man.

To make sure the suitcase Mrs Inah was holding was hers, Mr. Risman approached his wife. It's true, it was Arini's briefcase this morning. Not wanting the money recognized by the bald man, he immediately snatched the suitcase from the hands of Bu Inah, then grabbed it.

The bald thief wouldn't stay silent. At any rate, he had to reclaim the suitcase from Mr. Risman's hands. All prospective passengers did not let go of his gaze, witnessing a rare tense event at the station

"Hey! Give me back my suitcase!" snapped at the bald man.

"Just kid! This is my suitcase!" said Mr. Risman trying to keep the suitcase in his arms.

Shortly after, the station officers came to break up the two. To ensure ownership of the suitcase, they took Mr. Risman and the bald man somewhere. Of course, the bald man did not accept and insisted that the suitcase was his.

Apparently, the tense atmosphere was not finished. A young man in a red jacket came between them. Suddenly he accused the bald man of being his thief.

"Sir, take the bald man to the police! I saw his behavior!" accuse the young man while pointing at the bald man.

"Alright, you also follow us as witnesses, Dek. Let the problem be resolved quickly," said the station officer.

"If possible, look for CCTV evidence, sir. I don't want to be accused of being a false witness" the young man said.

The station attendant nodded, then took them all. Bu Inah, Atikah, and Sukma were advised to wait at the station by Mr. Risman, given his vast luggage. They complied and sat down waiting for the results of the station investigation.

Sukma still devoured his mother's bread. Every now and then, the shadow of the theft of the suitcase containing the money flashed. Chronologically, when Mr. Risman went to look for Sukma and Atikah, the bald man was sitting on a chair with a wiggle. A young man who had been sitting on his back to the bald man's chair, quietly watched his movements since queuing at the counter earlier. For him, it was quite suspicious of the attitude of the person behind him, considering that while waiting in line, the bald man only carried a backpack. Not yet warned by the young man, the bald man brought a suitcase from a pile of luggage Mr. Risman, then entered the queue to the train stop area.

And, the chronology recorded by CCTV is exactly the same as seen in the Sukma branch. In reality, the bald man is the thief. The young man who caught him could not bear to shake his bald head. However, the forgiving Mr. Risman, tried to discourage the young man.

"Heh, Bald! Your bald head should be covered in hair, not my senses! Uh ... You Botaaak, Bald!" the young man grumbled, then pulled the man's bald head.

"Already, Deck. At least now this suitcase is back with me again," said Mr. Risman holding the body of the young man.

"I've been sprained, sir," the young man said.

Finished securing the perpetrator, the station attendant returned the suitcase to Mr. Risman. Not to forget, he also advised the middle-aged man to keep his things well. Mr. Risman would like to thank the officers who were quick to secure the station. Even in the young man who witnessed the theft, Mr. Risman did not know what to do if the movements of the thief escaped the attention of other prospective passengers.

Inside the station area, Sukma complained that a packet of bread he ate was not enough to ease his hunger. Ms. Inah tried to persuade him to remain patient. The middle-aged woman also promised to feed Sukma if it had arrived in Padalarang later.

"But I want to eat it now, ma'am," Sukma complained with a clear face.

"Patience first, Deck. We'll buy it on the train. The money is in the Father" persuaded Bu Inah.

"Yeah, Mommy. Don't you see Dedek has lemes gini?" ask Sukma, putting on a pitiful face.

"Stop faking the glue, Dek. Didn't you see, Dedek was slamming bald om to pain? Where do you have the energy from, anyway, to be able to slam the om-om? The body is big."

"Oh, that's ... Dedek kesel, Mom. The bald Om took my suitcase while drowning. Where abis took my suitcase, even smiling again. Yes, I slammed. Had wanted Dedek to inject his body, but Dedek's stomach rumbling continues," explained Sukma innocently. "The body part is not heavy. The proof could be Dedek's slam."

Hearing the conversation between her sister and mother, Atikah can only be confused to remember the incident a few moments ago. When Sukma slammed the bald man, he saw a lot of smoke billowing from his sister's body. The little girl thought that if her sister stepped on the bald man, the life of her father's suitcase thief would not survive.

In the middle of their conversation, Mr. Risman came along with the young man who was witness to the theft. His face was cramped after he managed to get his suitcase back. Not to forget, Mr. Risman introduced the young man named Fadil to his family. Bu Inah was relieved to see her husband coming to carry Arini's suitcase, and thanked Fadil for helping them.

"Well, by the way, where are you going? Your stuff is very much like moving," said Fadil with a smile knot.

"I just bought a ticket to Padalarang, Dek. We don't know where to stay after we get there" Risman said.

"It's a coincidence, sir. I also went to Padalarang. If you are confused about where to stay, the same father of the family can come with me. Incidentally, my father had a contract. Understandably, near the industrial area," said the young man.

Before agreeing to the young man's suggestion, Mr. Risman looked at Bu Inah. He did not want to hurt his wife for his decision that was not negotiated first. However, apparently Mr. Risman's worries disappeared when Bu Inah nodded in agreement. For Ms. Inah, there is no need to feel prestige or condolence when someone offers help in times of difficulty. He thought that God had given him sustenance through the youth's intermediary.

To confirm Mr. Risman's decision, Fadil asked again. Mr. Risman finally said he agreed to accept his help. How glad the young man could be to help the troubled family of Mr. Risman. At least, he can ease their burden.

...****************...

Farah was restless again in her sleep. Again, a dark forest and a swarm of apes appeared in his dream. Not only that, this time he saw the giant ape sitting on a large rock near the bottom of the ravine.

Curious, Farah approached the giant ape even though her heart was worried. Occasionally it sounds the monkey is sobbing, his shoulders up and down erratically. Farah was still astonished, looking at the ape who seemed to be sad.

"Hey! K-you .. You why?" ask Farah curiously.

The monkey kept on shaking. Farah tried to look at him more closely. However, when he was about to pat him, a red cloth wrapped around the body of the monkey. The ape's shrill screams deafened Farah's ears and had to cover both ears tightly.

Curious as to the origin of the red cloth came, Farah looked down at the bottom of the abyss. Faintly, it looks like someone is pulling a cloth from there. The monkey who was in pain, finally asked for help.

"Quick! Find Sukma! If you manage to bring him back, then I won't take your life" said the ape in a choked voice.

"But .. but his family has sent you to kill me."

"No! It's not them who subverted you, it's the people down there. He has a grudge against you" said the ape, gasping for breath.

Farah had not had time to ask again, the ape had already plunged to the bottom of the abyss. Farah's legs trembled watching the ape simply vanish. As she was about to jump after the monkey, the woman suddenly woke up with a breath of breath.

Hilman who had been sleeping quietly, immediately woke up to see his wife was breathing.

Farah nodded. "Yes, Pa. I dreamed of seeing a giant monkey. He asked me to find Sukma. Besides, he also said that the one who overthrew me was not Mr. Risman's family."

"So, do you believe the monkey? You want to find Mr Risman's family again?"

"Come, Pa. I thought it was just a sleeping flower."

"Oh, so. Yes, sleep there again. Don't forget to read the prayer."

"But I'm scared, Pa. What if we don't find Sukma, the monkey will take my life again?"

"Eitherway. It's your own fault, driving them out of here. If Sukma exists, you might not have strange dreams."

"Oh, how's dong? Papa continues tomorrow, yes, find Mr. Risman's family. I was afraid that the dream had turned into reality" Farah said in a panic.

"Yes, yeah. But you want to, don't you, apologize to them for not recriminating? I told you from yesterday about the tumbar, you still don't believe."

"Finally, I saw evidence of a offerings in Mr. Risman's room, Pa. Aunty Arini also said, if his son Mr. Risman can see the monkey because his father is a devil's muja."

"Oh, so you believe more in Aunt Arini than I do, do you? Know what Aunt Arini knows about that?"

"Austhena knows from her neighbor."

"That's the neighbor who knows. Ah, go to sleep again. I'm going to work tomorrow."

Meanwhile in the backyard of Hilman's house, Wanara pensively looked at the pavilion. Though he imagined the little girl feeding him, coming from there. Wanara hopes that Sukma will bring food back and play together.

A while later, the old lady in the pavilion room came to him. He giggles to see Wanara grieving. The woman sat next to him, patting Wanara on the back.

"I thought you were with that boy. Never mind, don't be sad, I'm here."

"I'm afraid it's my chance to be the right hand of the demon lord" he said, as he plucked the grass.

"In that case, why don't you just go after the boy?"

"How can I catch up with him? The jerk shaman was already fencing around this house," he lamented in annoyance. "Then, why don't you go with the boy's family?"

"It's not time, Wanara. If heavy rain and strong winds come, then I will go with them. The weather has been hot lately. Even if dusk comes and my strength increases, I can't go far."

"Oh, yeah."

"Now, what are you doing here? Eating that shitty woman?"

"It should be. The shaman told me to take the life of that shitty woman, but I didn't want to. I'm still saddened by Sukma's departure."

"And you don't want to eat either, do you?"

Wanara.

"Look at tomorrow, someone's gonna bring you some food."

"really? How do you know?"

"The shaman won't stop until you do his job."

"Yes, I know."

"You better come with me to the pavilion. We're having fun with the other dedemits over there."

While Wanara followed the old woman to the pavilion, Mbah Suro was busy winnowing a small bottle of water. Ratna, who had been waiting for the old man's ritual, rubbed her arms together, feeling the cold. Every now and then, he circulates the light around it, which is dim and illuminated by only a few light bulbs.

Finished winnowing the white water, Mbah Suro handed it to Ratna. The woman thanked him very much for Mbah Suro's help to get rid of his enemy. However, there was one thing that still stuck to his heart.

"I'm surprised, Mbah. The situation is so difficult. How now Mbah tells me to give food again with Farah? Isn't there a little kid who's getting in the way of our intentions?" tanya Ratna scrunched her forehead.

"Everything is easy with someone's help. The family of the little boy was expelled. So, there is no longer a barrier for you to finish off your enemies" explained Mbah Suro calmly.

"Who is that, Mbah? Is he Mbah's man?"

"You don't need to know. Anyway there was an insider who helped me ease his way," Mbah Suro said. "Now you're home. Make food again using that water. If you have, send the food to Farah. Make sure Farah eats it before she's gone."

"Good Mbah. But, why before zuhur?"

"If he eats it after the zuhr, the smell will change. He'll know that you're the one who took him down."

"Oh, yes, Mbah."

"One more. Be careful about giving the food. Let no one else realize you're feeding Farah."

"Well, how is that, Mbah? If the maid sees me giving food to Farah, how?"

"Then the reaction of the champion will disappear. Actually when you give food to Farah, the reaction is already visible. But because of that son of a bitch, things got messed up. The boy even gave your food to the stealth of my shipment," explained Mbah Suro. "That's not all, her husband also knew that you were feeding Farah."

Anxiety was clearly implied on Ratna's face. The bad intentions that will be launched this time are considered more difficult. His brain thought hard, choosing the right time to harm Farah through his artificial food.